2024-2025 Full Season
Programs and Pricing

We offer three main club programs. Each program is suited specifically with the athlete in mind. We have put a lot of thought in how to train every athlete at every age and every skill level. Every team will have a qualified coach throughout the season. Every team will be put in tournaments which are appropriate for their level of competition. First year club members will need to purchase an equipment package for $250.

SPRING

10U-18U
$425
Register Now

REGIONAL

10U-12U Only
$1395
Tryouts Closed

REGIONAL

13U-18U Only
$1795
Tryouts Closed

NATIONAL

10U-18U Only
$2895
Tryouts Closed

ELITE

14U-18U Only
$2895
Tryouts Closed

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question about our club program then look no further. We have compiled a list of almost every question we’ve ever been asked. Read through below and see if you can find what you’re looking for. If not do not hesitate to call or email us.

Find answers to any of the following categories:

Club Volleyball

Q: What is club volleyball?
Club volleyball is an organized formation of volleyball teams for the purposes of practice and competition. Almost all club volleyball programs associate with one or more governing organizations (AAU, JVA, USA Volleyball and etc.). Club volleyball programs, such as Top Flight Volleyball club offer a wide array of teams and programs to develop their athletes. Club volleyball offers the ability to play the sport of volleyball year round for fun and competition.
Q: What is Top Flight’s Mission?
Top Flight VBC is dedicated to providing young athletes with a better understanding of the game of volleyball. Our staff will teach the skills and key ingredients to better our athletes both on and off the court. We feel that instilling hard work, confidence and commitment is something everyone can carry forward in all aspects of life. Training athletes to develop their skill set and challenge themselves in competition will facilitate their long term volleyball success. Our coaches are both knowledgeable and enthusiastic about all aspects of the game and strive to pass this on to each athlete.

Our coaching staff is experienced and unified in the teaching of basic skills, including the more advanced techniques of the game. With the philosophy of training athletes in an intense controlled environment, Top Flight strives to be one of the top competitors in the volleyball community.

Top Flight is intent on competing with the top volleyball programs in the country. We will focus on training our athletes to do just that. Our unique training methods, strength and conditioning, individual position training and attention to detail are what we feel sets us apart from the competition. We focus on training each individual player to reach their potential. Every athlete is different and will require training that fits their needs. Our program also caters to the needs of the multi-sport athlete.

We will assist our athletes in their pursuit of college opportunities, meeting with parents and college coaches to provide each athlete with their possibilities for the future. We feel with the right amount of exposure and elite competition this will give our athletes a wonderful opportunity to continue their volleyball careers at the collegiate level.

Q: What programs do we offer? How much do they cost? What's included?
A full list of all of our club programs, costs and included membership benefits can be found on our website.

Check above to see our Club Programs and Pricing sheets.

Management & Coaches

Q: Who are the coaches?
Our coaching staff is one of the best. Most of our coaches have played college volleyball, with two having played in a professional setting. Currently our staff coaches middle school and high school programs during their “off season” from club volleyball. We have coaches accredited with winning national championships, all-american awards, and being top recruited players from their college playing days. Most of our staff continues to play at the adult level and have brought home open level national championships. We strive to improve our staff and their knowledge year over year. We feel all teams need a competent devoted coach that will bring out the most in each of their athletes.

Click Here to view bios and coaching philosophies of all of our directors and managers as well as contact information for our coaching staff.

Q: Who are the managers?

Chas Kennedy – Program Manager (Player Development, Private Lessons, Sand) & College Recruiting Liaison

Q: Who are the directors?
We have an open door policy and encourage you to get to know the directors of Top flight.

Cindy Gritzman – Club Director (Illinois & Georgia)

Sean Gritzman – Club Director (Illinois & Georgia)

Kortney Kurtz – Club Director – (Georgia)

Click Here to view bios and coaching philosophies of all of our directors and managers.

Teams & Tryouts

Q: What programs do we offer? How much do they cost? What's included?
A full list of all of our club programs, costs and included membership benefits can be found on our Club Info & Pricing sheet located near the top of this page.
Q: What is open enrollment and how does it affect my child?
Open enrollment allows for an athlete to be guaranteed a place on one of our non-travel (Regional, Winter or Spring) teams.

There are NO guaranteed spots on an Elite or National team. If you do not make the National nor Elite program you will be offered a spot on one of the regional teams based on your tryout performance.

Q: What exactly is an extended season?
This option is intended for any regional or half season (winter or spring) athlete who would like to continue their club experience through June. Final tournament of the year would be a multi-day national event. Cost for this program is listed above in our pricing sheet.
Q: Is there a fee for tryouts?
Each season every athlete must pay a one-time $40 fee to tryout. The fee includes participation in all tryout dates for that season.
Q: Do I need to attend tryouts and if so how many?

Players must attend one tryout for their age group. We encourage them to make as many as they can, however, the minimum attendance is one.

Q: What do we need to bring?
Athletes should wear attire similar to what they would for gym class. If they want they can bring water or sports drink however concessions will be open to purchase if need be. All other equipment is provided during the tryout.
Q: Can I pre-register for tryouts? What paperwork can I fill out prior to the tryout?
Yes, pre-registration is REQUIRED and can be found on our Club page of our website. Even with pre-registration, some forms may be required at check-in for your tryout.
Q: What to expect during tryouts?
Athletes should be prepared for tryouts to last approximately 2.5-3 hours. All players will get rated during individual skill sessions. All players will get rated during team play. We will also have general athletic measurements happening throughout each tryout date.

Parents may need to be responsible for checking in their athlete including paying the listed tryout fee. There will be viewing areas available for parents to watch the entire tryout. There will be a short parent meeting approximately 45 minutes prior to each tryout date completing.

Q: When will I know if I was accepted into Top Flight's club program?
During tryouts one of the Top Flight coaches may tell you that you are accepted into the club. Players that do not make the Elite or National program will be given the option to play for the Regional, Winter or Spring teams. This will be discussed with the player and parent during or shortly after the last tryout date.
Q: How many athletes are on a team roster?
Top Flight will have rosters of 10-12 athletes for elite and national teams. Regional teams are kept to 10 athletes per roster however some exceptions may arise. We feel this is optimal for fair distribution of play time while adequately rostering for injuries, sicknesses and outside commitments.
Q: Are athletes allowed to “play up” an age division?
Yes, in some instances we may ask an athlete to “play up” in a different age division. These changes will be left to the discretion of the Top Flight staff.
Q: Do boys play on the girl teams too?
Although the younger ages (10U-14U) allow the boys to play on a girls team we do not mix them in our club. Girls will be on a girl only team as boys will be on a boy only team.
Q: When will I know what team I made?
The majority of the team rosters will be finalized after the final tryout however adjustments to rosters will be made during the first two weeks of practice. We reserve the right to make roster adjustments throughout the season as needed.
Q: When will rosters be decided?

We will begin posting rosters in early November but a final roster will not be determined until mid December.

Q: When is the commitment date?

Many athletes choose to commit once they have been offered a spot in one of our programs. This assures that the spot that you have been offered is yours to keep and will not be given to another athlete that has tried out. To commit we require a $350 non-refundable deposit. For those athletes that do not commit at tryouts we ask that they make their commitment within 24 hours of the date they have first tried out.  We do not feel that the pressure tactic of having someone commit immediately is necessary however spots especially in our travel programs do fill up very quickly.

Q: I was selected to a team what do I do now? When is the Parent Meeting?

Each player will be given/emailed a parent packet for their parents which has three forms that need to be filled out and brought back to Parent’s Night. In addition a deposit of $350 must be given to secure your spot and this deposit is NON REFUNDABLE. The player needs to have the forms filled out and attend the meeting with at least ONE parent. Parent Night will be announced via email and posted on our website once finalized.

Fees

Q: What are finance and payment options?
Dues may be paid in full or on a payment schedule of 3 payments. There are no refunds and payment is expected in full after you commit for the season. You cannot change from a full season to a shorter season. We also offer customized payment plans for a fee of $50.
Q: Are sibling discounts available?
We offer a $100 discount for each additional sibling participating in our club program (full season regional, national or elite athletes) during the same season. This does not apply to half season (winter or spring) programs.
Q: Are fundraising options or work programs available?
We provide optional fundraising and work program opportunities each season.
Q: What are the equipment fees I see on my account? What's included and when do we order?

Equipment fees for new members will be posted to your accounts. Equipment includes warmup top, warm up bottom, practice shirts, jersey(s), bag and ball. Items you will need to purchase outside of the package are shoes, kneepads, socks, black spandex, leggings or shorts. Any brand and color of shoes, socks, kneepads are fine – however current trend is white.

Q: Is equipment returned at the end of the season?
Yes, uniform tops will be returned at the conclusion of the athlete’s final tournament of the season. All other equipment given to the athlete is theirs to keep.
Q: Are there additional travel fees which will need to be paid?
There are additional travel fees for ONLY the Elite and National teams. These are travel related fees and will be communicated at the start of the season. All additional fees will need to be paid by January 1st. Approximate fees could range between $250-$550 per trip excluding transportation to and from destination.
Q: When are travel fees added? And what do they cover?

Travel fees are added about 1-2 months before your travel date as an individual invoice. Travel fees include:

Coaches fees (travel, hotel, food, insurance, registration)

Team fees (entry into event, insurance)

Athletes will need to provide their own transportation to the event and will stay with parents in the hotel. Florida (team van, hotels for some teams – will be discussed at parent meeting)

Q: Does Top Flight offer refunds or prorated amounts?
Unfortunately we are not able to offer any type of prorated amount for any of our classes. If you register for a class and realize you are unable to attend you may cancel your registration PRIOR to the first date for a full refund. However once the date of the class arrives there are no refunds given for cancelation.

Practices

Q: When are practices? How often and where do they practice?

Practice days and times depend on which team you make however the practice slots are as follows:

 

2021-2022 TBA

Q: Where are Top Flight's practice facilities?
All practice facilities can be found on the Facilities page of our website.

Click Here to visit the facilities page.

Q: Do we offer strength, conditioning, plyometric or jump training?
Yes, each Elite and National team will have small group training with an ISSA certified personal trainer and ISSA certified nutritionist. We call this training Athletic Development and its held for 45 minutes of every practice (except on Fridays).
Q: Do we offer positional training during practices?
Yes, one practice each week will have skill specific training included. The amount of time spent for this will vary depending on the practice.
Q: Do teams practice together or separately?
Teams will practice in time slots with teams of similar age and skill level. Some practices will consist of teams combining players together for skill specific (positional) training. Other practices will consist of team related training where teams will either practice on their own court or share with another team of a similar age and skill.
Q: What happens if there is a conflict for a practice or tournament?
Athletes are allowed up to three missed practices per season without consequence. Athletes missing more are required to make up their practices with another team. Regional athletes missing a tournament will count against their three allowed missed dates. National or elite athletes that miss a tournament will be required to attend and sit their first set of the following tournament.
Q: How does Top Flight handle multi-sport athletes?
Multi-sport athletes are welcome to join any of our programs. We do require national and elite athletes to attend all national level tournaments.
Q: What is Top Flight's philosophy on playing time?
At Top Flight we believe playing time is earned, not given. Playing time is determined by the coach based on several criteria including attendance, practice, attitude, game performance and skill. Top Flight is a competitive volleyball environment and the teams are administered that way.

*Playing time and related issues are encouraged to be resolved between player and coach. After such meetings, if the issue still remains then a formal meeting with the player, coach and director will be held.*

Tournament & Travel

Q: When and where are matches and tournaments played? How long do they run?
Tournaments are held on Saturdays and/or Sundays around the Chicagoland area. Each tournament lasts between 6-8 hours long. Teams play roughly 3-5 matches. National and Elite programs could have games on Monday’s or Fridays during specific holiday weekends.
Q: What are the out of state travel policies?
All athletes will be required to stay in player only hotel rooms reserved for their specific team. Room fees are an additional expense each family is responsible to pay. Each athlete is responsible for their own method of travel and are required to be at their designated hotels no later than 9pm the day before their first day of competition. Athletes are required to stay with their team for the duration of their competition.
Q: Top Flight Tournament Facility Policies & Rules
DOORS OPEN:

One hour before the start of the first pool play match.

FACILITY RULES:

NO OUTSIDE FOOD OR DRINKS ARE ALLOWED INTO THE FACILITY.

PENALTIES AND FINES ENFORCED FOR ALL VIOLATIONS.

Players water and sport drinks allowed in playing areas.
No open container cups or glass allowed in gym area.
Bleacher seating is available. No outside folding chairs allowed.

ADMISSION FEE:

There will be a $5 admission fee for everyone 12 and older. (excluding players, coaches & refs)

JUMPY HOUSE POLICY:

Bounce house is open on most Saturdays and Sundays. Price to jump is $5 for members of Top Flight and $7 for non-members. By purchasing a bracelet to enter the bounce house you are agreeing to the waiver found on our website which can be found HERE. If you prefer you can ask the pro shop for a copy of the waiver. As a reminder, all participants jump at their own risk.

TOURNAMENT RULES:

All Warmups will be 2 mins, 4 mins, 4 mins.
Top Flight will provide a certified R1 for all pool play matches.

All reffing teams must supply an R2, (2) Line judges, (1) Scorekeeper, and (1) Libero Tracker.
All playoffs will have certified referees to be the R1.

TOURNAMENT PRIZES:

Prizes will be given to the Tournament Champion and Runner-Up teams.

POOL PLAY FORMAT:

All 3,4 & 5 team pools will play two sets to 25 round robin, no cap.

PLAYOFF FORMAT:

All Semi & Final playoff matches are match play 25/25/15 (Quarter-Finals only 1 set to 25)

TIE BREAKER POLICY:

Match %, Set %, Head to Head W/L, Total Points Pool Play. (If needed total points will decide who makes playoffs)

Q: Do you have the tournament schedules ready? And if so why don't you share them?

Yes we have the tournament schedules completed in the summer each season. We don’t typically share them before the rosters are posted so that families don’t rely on the schedule that they think will be theirs. Additionally some tournaments will wait list teams and we will have to find a new event. We try and wait for the schedule to be as solid as possible before posting.

Q: What do travel expenses cover?

Tournament entry fee, player/staff/chaperone insurance and registration fees (AAU, JVA, USAV), coach/staff expenses (airfare, hotel, parking, food, admission, coaching stipend), assistant coach expenses (airfare, hotel, parking, food, admission, coaching stipend), chaperone expenses (admissions, parking). Team Van for Florida only (insurance, gas, and parking).  Team rooms for Florida only.

Q: How do I know which hotels to book?

Based on the age and playing level of your athlete you can have a good guesstimate of where your athlete will fall. You can always schedule a reminder to cancel the hotel if your team changes, or was not as you anticipated.

Q: Why does Top Flight send out all of this hotel information when we don't even know our teams?

Tournament entries and housing all open up between 9/1 – 10/1 with clubs giving a best guess of teams and hotel needs. We try and book as soon as possible so that we are nearest the convention centers for our families. Even with pushing through registration for events at 12:01 AM on the date the event opens we are still on some wait lists for the housing authorities to send us rooms.

Parent Involvement

Q: What is Top Flight's policy on parent involvement?
We have an open door policy with our parents and encourage them to communicate with our staff. This policy does not exist during tournaments and practices; we feel a neutral time is the best for staff/parent discussions.
Q: What is the role of the parent?
We encourage parents to be a positive role model not only for their child but for the rest of the players on their team. Team practices are completely organized and run by our staff and as such there is no need for parental involvement. Tournaments are sometimes lengthy all day events and parents might be asked to help assist with coordinating snacks, meals, activities and etc.

Parents are instructed to not coach their kids at any point during a practice nor tournament. We ask they not distract their children from their tasks at hand nor require their attention during Top Flight related events. Parents are more than welcome to give their children feedback regarding what they see however we ask this be done in a private setting with their own child and not in front of their peers.

College Recruiting

Q: Do we offer college recruiting assistance?
We have full time staff members to help assist the families of our national and elite programs with their college recruiting needs. Individual meetings are available throughout the season as well as our semi-annual recruiting seminars. This service is included with your club membership at no additional cost.
Q: How does Top Flight help with the recruiting process?
All club members are welcome to take advantage of this service. We have two full time staff members who will help educate you on the process of college recruiting. We will then help assist you in finding the right school for you. We don’t over promise and under deliver! We walk you through the steps and give realistic options which fit what you are looking for.

At Top Flight VBC we take pride in assisting our club athletes during their college recruiting process. We understand it can be a stressful time, but we want to walk you through the process. If our athletes want to play in college then we will help to assist them in finding the right fit academically and athletically. If they are undecided, we walk them through the process to help them to understand what they should be doing and what they should be looking for during their college selection. We believe there is a fit for each and every athlete in our program.

Q: Where do I learn more about the recruiting process?
Our full time college recruiting liaisons are available for one on one meetings to help educate and inform families on all aspects of the process. We recommend our club athletes set up these meetings when needed. Click here to schedule a meeting.
Q: Will all Top Flight athletes play in college?
Not everyone will play in college. Some of the factors can be as simple as the desire for a specific major that is not at a “volleyball” school. For those athletes that are looking to continue being a student athlete and are open to all levels of college volleyball we will find a spot for you to continue playing.